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Thursday, February 3, 2011

LRC Featured Author: Interview with John Herrick

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Thank you for taking the time to join us today John!

The Twitter version: tell us about your book in 140
characters or lessFrom
The Dead is a human-heart story about second
chances. It’s an honest journey from rock-bottom depths to the heights of
victory.

How did you get the idea for the story?

Driving
home from work one evening, Dusty Springfield’s “Son of a Preacher Man” came on
the radio. I never cared much for the song, but for the first time I paid
attention to the lyrics about a straight-laced preacher’s son who falls in love
with a girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Questions rose up inside me:
“What if it were the opposite situation? What if the preacher’s son had hit
rock bottom?” Details started to pour
forth, and by the time I got home, I spent 30 minutes trying to get them on
paper. The story grew from there, usually with scene ideas coming to me in the
car. Obviously, the story and song ended up with nothing in common, though!

Do you have any other works in progress?

Yes! When I determine my next novel,
I spend a while letting it marinate inside me to give the story a chance to
build naturally, to allow the pivotal scenes to rise up from within. That’s my
current status. My goal is to start outlining the novel by the end of this
year.

Which character would you most/least like to have dinner
with?

I’d most want to have dinner with
Drew after he grows older. He’s pressed through a lot at an early age and has a
tender heart. I’d like to get to know the strong individual he becomes.

What are some of your favorite books? Do
you still have much time to read?Though I try to read a wide variety, I love suspense novels—a big John
Grisham fan. I’ve also gotten into biographies lately. Reading is a must for a
writer, so I try to carve out time for it daily, even if it’s just an hour. On
the weekends, I’ll spend hours reading at Starbucks or Panera Bread. Two or
three books going at a time.

If a fairy
godmother told you your life could be like a favorite book for 24 hours, which
book would you pick and why?As a writer and a person, when all is said and done, I want to know my life
impacted other people. When people cross paths with my books or me, I want them
to walk away knowing their lives matter, encouraged to keep pressing forward
toward their purposes in life. So whatever book would allow that to happen,
that’s the book I would want my life to be like. At this point, the Bible would
probably best fit the bill—people felt loved, accepted and encouraged around
Jesus.

Do you need anything to write (music,
coffee, etc)? Are there any songs on the From the Dead "playlist-"
songs that inspired you or that were playing while you wrote?Okay, this might sound funny, but I need to drink something hot, usually
herbal tea. I keep a cupboard filled with different flavors to keep a variety
going! Beyond that, the key to keeping
me on track is to not allow any days off during the first-draft phase!

I always have a CD playing in the
background. A handful of songs seem to underscore the emotional content of key
scenes—you’ll see them mentioned in From
The Dead. The playlist seems to grow along with the first draft. While
writing From The Dead, Bruce
Springsteen and Bruce Hornsby’s greatest hits CDs helped me delve into Jesse’s
introspection. Michelle Branch and Colbie Caillat helped capture the tenderness
of Jesse and Caitlyn’s love story.

If you could have any superpower what
would you choose?The ability to immediately travel anywhere in the world. I could escape to
the beach to relax, plus travel anywhere I’d want to go for research or
inspiration.

Besides writing, what do you like to do
in your free time?I’m an avid reader. Surprise, surprise, right? I love the written word and
don’t spend much time with TV. To escape, I’ll get into the car with a couple
of CDs and just drive—like a mini vacation, minus the sand and ocean!

Is there anything else you want to add
or say to your readers?

Whatever your dream is, never give
up. That’s the one thing I hope readers pick up from my work.

Thanks for letting me stop by! I
love to hear from readers, so feel free to connect with me at my website, www.johnherrick.net, and my blog at
johnherricknet.blogspot.com.

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I am Brandi Kosiner and this is my personal book blog. I am a 30-something stay-at-home mom to two girls. I love going to Disney, playing video and board games with my husband. I love Young Adult books, with a focus on paranormal romance, fantasy, dystopia and contemporary, especially dealing with illnesses, tough issues such as cutting, eating disorders, issues at home, etc.

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